Anthony Bourdain supported #MeToo movement came to criticize ‘bro culture’
The sudden death of renowned chef Anthony Bourdain is spurring reflection on the accomplishments that catapulted him to stardom.
But aside from his successful books and TV shows, Bourdain recently gained attention as an outspoken advocate of the #MeToo movement, with his vocal support of dozens of women — including his own girlfriend, actress Asia Argento — who accused disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault or misconduct.
Bourdain, 61, died in an apparent suicide.
He spoke to Slate magazine in the fall about the difficulty for women like Argento to speak out about assault or misconduct and the problem of sexual harassment in the restaurant industry. “I mean, look, obviously I’ve been seeing up close — due to a personal relationship — the difficulty of speaking out about these things, and the kind of vilification and humiliation and risk and pain and terror that come with speaking out about this kind of thing,” Bourdain told the magazine.
That certainly brought it home in a personal way that, to my discredit, it might not have before.”
Rethinking his best-seller, “Kitchen Confidential”
Bourdain also said that the accusations against Weinstein prompted him to reflect on whether he had unintentionally in his breakthrough memoir, “Kitchen Confidential,” promoted a male-centered culture in the restaurant business.
“I’ve had to ask myself, and I have been for some time, ‘To what extent in that book did I provide validation to meatheads?’” Bourdain said to Slate, admitting that he played the role of “the bad boy.”
“You know, to the extent that I was that guy, however fast and however hard I tried to get away [from] it, the fact is that’s what my persona was,” Bourdain said. “I am a guy on TV who sexualizes food. Who uses bad language. Who thinks our discomfort, our squeamishness, fear and discomfort around matters sexual is funny. I have done stupid offensive s***.”…….